The Area of Forever explained

I could have called this a Nexus - as in the Nexus of all reality & so the Nexus of The Base - but that term has been used quite a bit already. Other possible descriptions could have been Vortex, Wormhole or Warp. Of course, I could have called it the Science Fiction Wonderland - but I didn't of think of this until a couple of days before unleashing this beast; a little too late.

At its simplest area of definition, the Area is a Timeline. This is a timeline of important events in the history of science fiction. Most of the Area is clearly outlined by years - these are ordered in chronological format, as to be expected; go to a certain year and there you will find what took place in that year. The larger divisions are a separation of the timeline into several Ages. These Ages are:

ONE: PREHISTORIC or ANCIENT TIMES

(which is just a few paragraphs explaining the earliest examples of sci-fi)

TWO: The VICTORIAN AGE (the 19th Century)

THREE:The PLATINUM AGE (Early 20th Century)

FOUR: The Early GOLDEN AGE of Sci-Fi (Magazine & Pulp Era)

FIVE:The GOLDEN AGE of Sci-Fi (the Fifties)

SIX: The SILVER AGE of Sci-Fi (sf films grow up & New Age)

SEVEN: The BRONZE AGE of Sci-Fi (post-Star Wars)

and The MODERN AGE (The Computer Age)

As with most things, different people will have different takes on when or if an Age begins at a certain point and also what to 'name' that Age. The Golden Age, for example, is usually applied to different decades when referring to literature or pulp fiction, as opposed to films. Isaac Asimov, looking back from 1981, described magazine sci-fi of 1926-38 as 'adventure dominant', 1939-1950 as 'technology dominant' and 1950 as 'sociology dominant' - so a Golden Age can be divided in two by this reckoning. In any case, The Area of Forever made its own rules and we are stuck with them.

With many people, this should be more than just a timeline. The Timeline itself can be interesting - finding out what happened when - but there are miniature portals spread throughout this timeline. Yes, most of the items of information are actual links - links to elsewhere. This is where we take advantage of internet technology and the capabilities of this Forum. As an example, you find that a certain novel was written in a certain year; you can then click on the name of that novel and find out more.

Some of the links are obvious - the letters have that light-blue color to them. But, many links are not apparent. When the letters of the word have been already colored - such as red or green - you can only tell if it is a link by running your cursor (using your mouse) over the word. Part of the fun, so to say, is that you never know where the link will take you. Many links are to other threads on this Board. But, many others lead elsewhere. You might find an interview with an author that reveals stuff you never knew, even though you considered yourself an expert on the person. Another link may take you to a simple review of a book or film, but yet another may take you to a way to watch the film itself. Other links may take you to strange sites that you never dreamed existed. Odd as it may seem, you may even discover threads on this very Board that you were not aware of.

Even more, there may be other uses and discoveries gleaned from this Area. There may be patterns and directions to the flow of science fiction history which are not readily apparent. You might realize a pattern that you haven't noted before or, perhaps more amazing, a pattern that no one else has been aware of. There may be epiphanies waiting to be unleashed. And, once you're in, you may find it difficult to exit all the way. It has been said, tongue in cheek, "There Will Be No Escape" - but this may be more than just an idle amusement.